2001 Aurora 3.5v6 - Body Control Module Issues?

[mattkenward]

Good Morning All

Long time reader, first time poster.

I have a 2001 Aurora 3.5v6. Its an old clunker with 205000 miles on it and I only paid $800 for it but my wife likes it!

A month back, it had a flat battery in the morning, got it running again but it lost its remote locking. Recently, the battery has been flat every morning and when it starts, the radio is locked out and the airbag light is on. Fired it up yesterday and the lights were on when the stalk was "off" and when stalk was "on" the lights were "off".

I disconnected the battery last night and came out to it this morning, reconnected and it fired up first time (battery is only 6 months old).

I have been reading about the body control module, apparently this can cause battery drain screwy locks etc?

Has anyone replaced one of these before? Does anyone have a lead on the place to get one? and is it a plug and play item or does it then need reprogramming at a dealer etc? My other option is a battery kill switch retro fitted and let it suffer on!

Thanks in advance.

[tigger]

Well, the 2G doesn't have a consolidated "Body Control Module". It uses 3 separate modules connected to each other and the PCM over Class 2 Serial Data. They are the Instrument Panel Integration Module (IPM), the Dash Integration Module (DIM), and the Rear Integration Module (RIM).

Of your issues, only the lights would be related to any of these modules. The airbags have their own; the Inflatable Restraint Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM). And the Remote Control Door Lock Receiver (RCDLR) communicates with the Driver Door Module (DDM) to lock/unlock the doors remotely. No idea why the radio would lock out.

Anyway, since your battery dies every night if left connected, I'd start with a parasitic current draw test. At least it'll narrow it down to one circuit... Hopefully...

[Paulaurora]

try to disconnect onstar module on back.. and is there any after market stuff?

[mattkenward]

Hi

No the car is completely standard, on star module on the back of the head unit I assume?

I did a parasitic drain test on it this afternoon and the only circuit drawing after the car had been "shut down" for an hour was the stereo. I have pulled the fuse and will leave it overnight to test in the morning.

Weirdly, when the ACC was on, the stereo shows "LOCKED" on the screen. Turning the ignition off and taking the key out, the stereo will turn on and work? I am sure there is something more at fault here....

[tigger]

The OnStar boxes are fastened to the rear seat back frame in the trunk (passenger side, behind the black plastic "beauty panel").

You guys might be on to something there. Several years ago, mine got drenched! No problem for a day or two, but then it started trying to call OnStar, ...constantly! You couldn't use or turn off the radio, just "Connecting to OnStar, please stand by... ding, ding, ding" over and over, haha! Pulled both boxes, no problems since.

Worth a shot...

[Paulaurora]

try to pull out the radio and put back in.

[lazierfan]

If you have the 12-disc CD changer, it may be stuck in some kind of reboot mode whenever you re-connect the battery. The CD changer inventories all 12 slots after you connect the battery, this is a normal cycle. Take out the cassette and make sure the CD courtesy light inside the CD changer shuts off after sliding the door shut.

I disconnected my On-Star module after reading this thread!